Metal car roof



Much 27, 1934. F. DITCHFIELD METAL CAR ROOF Filed Hatch 21. 1930Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METAL OAR ROOFApplication March 21,1930, Serial No. 437,644

7 Claims.

This invention relates to metal car roofs, and the subject matter hereofis in the nature of an improvement on the subject matter of my copendingapplication 331,373, filed January 9, 1929.

Objects of my invention are to provide a durable, flexible metal rooffor cars, which may be economically fabricated, applied and repaired andwherein the use of rivets or other fastening devices extended throughthe roof sheets and exposed to the elements, is entirely avoided.

Another object of my invention is to provide a metal roof structureemploying an interior carline and a cap plate for holding down the roofsheets and wherein means are employed for securing the cap plate to thecarline under an adjustable tension, said means being characterized bythe fact that no part thereof is exposed on the upper side of the roofbut, on the contrary, said means are manipulated entirely from theunderside of the roof.

Further objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is abroken, transverse, sectional view of a portion of a car superstructureshowing my improvements applied thereto. Figure 2 is a detail sectionalview corresponding to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is alongitudinal part sectional view, part elevational view, the sectioncorresponding to the ridge of the roof and one of the carlines beingshown in elevation with the roof sheets removed from the ridge to theeaves. And Figure 4 is a detail sectional view corresponding to the line4-4 of Figure 1.

In said drawing, 10 indicates one of the usual Z-bar side plates of thecar, the same having an upstanding flange 11, a horizontal web 12 and adepending outer flange 13, the metal 'side sheets 14 being riveted tosaid flange 13.

In carrying out my invention, I employ metal carlines, one of which isdesignated generally by the reference character A; metal cap plates, one

r of which is designated generally by the reference posed longitudinallyextending corrugation, the latter in turn so dividing the interior ofthe carline as to form two laterally spaced drainage channels 19-19, ashereinafter described. At each end, the carline A is bent downwardlyapproximately at right angles, as indicated in Figures 1 and 4, the samegeneral channel configuration being retained as indicated at A in Figure4. At each end, the carline is secured to the side plate 10 and an angle20 which is applied to the outer side of the flange 11 of the sideplate, by rivets 21--21. Preferably, the central ridge or corrugation 18is of greater depth near the ridge of the car roof, as indicated at 118and is preferably reduced in height towards the sides of the roof, asindicated at 218, so that said ridge or corrugation is relativelyshallow where it passes over and down alongside the side plate, as shownin Figure 4, but still retaining the drainage channels 19, out to theplane of the side plate. The ends of the carline terminate in closeproximity to the horizontal flange of the angle 20, as indicated at 22in Figure 1.

Each of the roof sheets C extends from side to side of the car and is ofa width to bridge between each adjacent pair of carlines A. Each sheet Chas its sides downwardly flanged as indicated at 23, the flangesdepending within the carlines A, said flanges 23 being disposed over thedrainage channels 19 and normally positioned approximately midwaythereover. At their ends, the sheets C are downwardly turned so as tofollow along the bent end of the carlines, the sheets being extendeddownwardly below the horizontal flange of the angle 20, as shown at 24and lying against said flange. The lower edges of the ends 24 of theroof sheets terminate a slight distance above the horizontal web 12 ofthe side plate so that an air pocket is formed between the side plate,the angle 20 and the depending portion of the roof sheet to break up thecurrents of air which might otherwise drive the moisture up under theroof sheets. The downturned ends of the roof sheets are secured to theside plate by suitable means, such as the headed pins 25 extendedthrough alined apertures in the sheets C, the angle 20, and flange 11 ofthe side plate 10, as shown in Figure 4. The pins 25 may be secured inposition by suitable cotters 26 and preferably washers 2'727 interposedbetween the heads of the pins and the roof sheets and between thecotters and the side plate. To prevent any moisture dripping to theinterior of the car, which might pass through the roof sheet along thepins 25, the latter are provided Wit an annular recess I of maximumdepth at the ridge line of the roof "or web'29 of s'uflic'ient width tooverlie the adjacent edges of two adjacent roof sheets C and to alsooverlie the supporting flanges 15 of the carline. their ends so as toconform to the roof sheetsand carlines, as indicated in Figure 4. On itsunderside, each cap plate B is provided with integral laterally spacedlongitudinally extending flanges 3030, the spacing being such that theflanges substantially span the ridge 18"0f the carline,

as shown in Figure 2. Said flanges 30 are tapered or chamfered towardthe ends of the cap plate,

as-indicated at 130 and are further cut away as indicated at l 31in thedownturned portions of the cap plate. In this connection, it will beunderstood that the flanges 16 of the carlines are and are graduallyreduced in height toward the side plates, as shown in Figure 1, so as toprovide the desirable slope to the roof sheets.

For securing the cap platesto the carlines under an adjustable tension,I employ the following means as best illustrated in Figure 2. Preferablymidway between the ridge of the roof and each side plate, each cap plateis provided with a rivet 32 supportedin the flanges 30 thereof, therivet being headed at each end. Loosely mounted on 85 each rivet 32 is abolt 33 having a sleeve head and a threaded shank 34 so as to allow forshift and swinging of the bolt with reference to the rivet 32. Thethreaded shank 34 is extended downwardlythrough an opening 35 in thecorrugation 18'and a nut 36 applied thereto, a washer S'Tpreferablybeing interposed between the nut and the carline. ,With thisarrangemenhit is obvious that the cap plates B can be pulled downtightly; against the roof sheets and the parts held together under anydesired tension Further, it will be observed that no part of thesecuring meansis extended upwardly through the cap plate and hence nopart is exposed to the elements and no moisture or other foreign mattercan enter so 1 flange 30.

by way of the fastening means. Further, the arrangement is such that theassembling or disassembling of the parts is effected from the interiorof the car or underside of the roof.

Still referring to Figure2, it will be seen that, should any rain orthe'like be driven between the roof sheets and the cap plate, the samewill either drip down the roof sheet flanges 23 or, if driven withsuflicient force, will impinge against the In either event, any suchrain or moisture that may be driven under the cap plate will drip downinto the drainage channel 19 and, due to the slope of the" latter towardthe sides of the car such rain or the like will be drained off over theside plate of the car and entrance thereof to the interior of the carpositively prevented.

From the preceding description, taken in connection with the'drawing, itwill be seen that a very-:eifective weathersealed joint isprovided alongthe side plates and that admissionof rain and the like to the interiorof the car at any of the'roof sheet-joints is'prevented. Furthermore,the arrangement at 'the'joints of the roof sheets issuch as--toeliminate transversely extending ridges, thus preventing the'piling-upof snow or sleet and also reducing wind resistance.

The cap plates B are downwardly bent at wardly offset corrugationextending longitudi- I h herefnshown and described what I now censidflthe preferred manner of carrying out nally thereof, the corrugationsbeing of lesser depth than that of the mafnfianges at all points alongthe carline.

2. As an article of manufacture, a metal carline having integrallyformed outturned upper flanges, vertically disposed main flanges and abottom web, the latter being formed with an upwardly ofiset corrugationextending longitudinally thereof, the corrugations being of lesser depththan that of the main flanges at all points along the carline, the endsof said carline being downwardly turned and adapted to fit over the sideplates of a car.

3. In a metal car roof, the combination with metal carlines extendingfrom side to side of the car; of roof sheets supported on the tops ofsaid carlines and extending from side to side of the car and betweencarlines; imperforate cap plates superposed on the sheets and extendingfrom side to side of the car and each associated with a carline; andmeans for securing the cap plates to the carlines, said means includingdepending projections on the undersides of the cap plates,

elements attached to said projections and extending through thecarlines, and devices on the underside of the carlines cooperable withsaid elements.

l. Ina metal car roof, the combination with side plates; carlinesextending between the side plates, each carline being formed withdrainage channels on the upper side thereof; roof sheets extendingbetween carlines and having their edges extending" therewithin and abovethe drainage channels; a cap plate associated with each carline andseated upon adjacent portions ofthe roof sheets; bolts swivelly securedto the undersides of the cap plates and extending downwardly through thecarlines; and nuts cooperable with the bolts for adjustably securing thecap plates to the carlines.

5. In a metal car roof, the combination with carlines of generallychannel cross section, with longitudinally extending upraisedcorrugations in the webs thereof and extending lengthwise; of 'roofsheets extending between carlines, the edges of the roof sheets beingdownwardly flanged and extending within the carlines; cap platesassociated withthe carlines; bolts adjustably secured to the undersidesof the capplates and extending downwardly through said corrugatedportions of the'carlines; and nuts cooperable with said bolts on theundersides of the carlines.

6. As an article of manufacture, a cap plate for car roofs, comprisingramain web extending the full length of the cap plate and from side platetoside plate of the car, two integrally formed flanges on the'undersideof the web extending ing from said flanges for securing the cap to anunderlying carline.

7. In a metal roof for a car having side plates, the combination withinside, self-draining metal carlines each extending from side plate toside plate of the car and secured at its ends to the side plates; ofroof sheets having their edges extending over and partially into thecarlines; a readily detachable cap plate associated with each carline,each cap plate extending from side plate to side plate of the car andhaving a top imperforate main flat section of a width to overlie theedges of adjacent roof sheets and the top

